How to choose fabrics for your weighted blanket

There are a lot of fish in the sea, or fabrics in the proverbial fabric shop. All the choices could really get confusing!

There are 6 fabric types, in my experience, that are really good for weighted blankets. Let’s take a look at what pros/cons each one brings to the table, and what you should consider as you choose.

Cotton

There are LOTS of cotton options. Literally thousands of them. Almost any print you can imagine is available in a cotton print. If you are particular about textures, I recommend a high-quality Kona Cotton. These come in a cornucopia of solid options, and have the feel of high-thread-count sheets.

Flannel

Flannel is that great in-between option. It’s not quilting cotton, but it’s warm without being synthetic fleece. Flannel comes in plaid, yes, but it is also available in almost as wide a variety of prints as regular quilting cotton.

Pictured below is a flannel chevron or zigzag print in a rainbow of colors

Satin-cotton

Satin-cotton fabrics are a good choice for those who have heat sensitivities AND enjoy the tactile input of the satin. The satin-cotton can be used alone or paired with a high-quality Kona Cotton on the back. One customer combined the satin-cotton with a minky; this was a delightful combination.

Pictured below is a cranberry satin-cotton paired with a coordinating minky flower print

Fleece

Fleece is a synthetic option with a wider variety of prints than minky. If a customer has texture sensitivities, I recommend minky. Otherwise, this is an excellent a cozy-warm choice.

Pictured below is a sofe blue-green tie-dye winterfleece

Minky

This is that stuff that baby blankets are often made of. Soft, yummy goodness. Minky comes in a plush, high-pile, and in a sleek, smooth, low-pile. Once upon a time, most of the prints were baby/kid prints, but more and more, you can find sophisticated, grownup prints as well.

Linen-rayon blend

This what I recommend for someone looking for a more industrial-strength in the fabric. If you are highly sensitive to textures, and tend to find some fabrics scratchy that don’t seem to bother others at all, I highly recommend one of the other softer options.

Pictured below is a light charcoal grey linen-rayon blend.

So what do you do with all this information?

If you are an OT and want an industrial-strength weighted blanket to loan to your patients, the linen-blend is your best bet.

If you want soft & warm, fleece and minky are your best bets.

If you want soft and breathable, Kona cotton & satin-cotton are where you should head.

Perhaps you want a combination: cool to touch, and warm on the other side if you want it — then Satin-cotton or Kona Cotton on one side will pair nicely with a Minky on the other.

There are lot of choices

So to help you further narrow down your choices and guide your weighted blanket shopping experience, I created How to Shop for a Weighted Blanket. Pop in your email address, and I’ll get that right over to you in a jiffy.